System and method for managing access of a communication network to a mobile terminal

• US 7,558,233 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3G Licensing S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Orange France (Orange S.A.)
• Inventors: Annic, Etienne
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/533,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20060013157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/455, 370/328, 370/329, 709/217, 709/245
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/503 using an authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] protocol, e.g. remote authentication dial-in user service [RADIUS] or Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for managing access from a plurality of communications networks (20, 21, 22) to a mobile terminal (10) connected to a mobile telecommunications network. The system is adapted to set up a connection from at least one of the communications networks (20, 21, 22) to the mobile terminal (10). Application to mobile telecommunications networks enabling access from a mobile terminal (10) to a plurality of independent communications networks (20, 21, 22) each offering a set of services.

Claims

1. A system for managing access from a plurality of communications networks to a mobile terminal connected to a mobile telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an application server disposed within each of said plural communications networks;

at least one domain server operatively coupled to said application server disposed in each of said plural communications networks, said at least one domain server receiving a first command message sent from the application server to request identification of said mobile terminal;

at least one network address assignment server disposed in each of said plural communications networks;

at least one incoming call request management interface operatively connected to said at least one network address assignment server, said at least one incoming call request management interface receiving a second command for assigning a network address with a user address of said mobile terminal; and

at least one home location register located in said mobile telecommunications network;

wherein said system is configured to set up at least one additional connection from at least one of said plural communications networks to said mobile terminal with an incoming call request, after said mobile terminal has sent the first command message to request said identification of said mobile terminal from the application server to said at least one domain name server disposed in a communications network, after said mobile terminal has been identified in said at least one address assignment server to which said communications network will establish said additional connection, after checking to determine whether the user address of said mobile terminal exists in said at least one incoming call request management interface connected to said at least one network address assignment server to prevent assignment of a second address corresponding to the same mobile terminal, after verifying accessibility to said mobile telecommunications network in said at least one home location register of said mobile terminal communications network, and after verifying authorization for receiving incoming calls provided by the user of said mobile terminal identified for accessing said communications network.

2. The access management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one user address search interface disposed in said communications network and configured to assign said user address to said mobile terminal, after said check to determine whether the user address exists, based on data from said first command message received from the at least one domain name server disposed in said communications network.

3. The access management system according to claim 2,

wherein said at least one incoming call management interface is configured to assign at least one network address to said mobile terminal after processing said user address based on data from said second command message received from said at least one user address search interface.

4. The access management system according to claim 2, wherein said at least one user search address interface comprises means for sending to said at least one domain name server, means for sending to said at least one incoming call request management interface, means for assigning said user address, means for formatting a command message, and means for generating a failure message.

5. The access management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one access authorization interface connected to said at least one home location register of said mobile telecommunications network and configured to verify said at least one network address after processing of said user address of said mobile terminal based on data from a fourth command message received from at least one access control interface.

6. The access management system according to claim 5, wherein said at least one access control interface comprises means for sending to said at least one network address assignment server, means for sending to said at least one access authorization interface, means for verifying said user address of said mobile terminal, means for formatting a command message and means for processing said user address.

7. The access management system according to claim 5, wherein said at least one access authorization interface comprises means for sending to said at least one home location register, means for sending to said at least one access control interface, means for processing said user address, means for verifying said at least one network address, and means for formatting a command message.

8. The access management system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one incoming call request management interface comprises means for sending to said at least one network address assignment server, means for sending to said at least one user address search interface, means for assigning said network address, means for formatting a command message, means for checking the existence of said user address, means for processing a result of verifying the accessibility and rights of said user of said mobile terminal, and means for generating a failure message.

9. A system for managing access from a plurality of communications networks to a mobile terminal connected to a mobile telecommunications network, wherein said system is configured to set up at least one additional connection from at least one of said communications networks to said mobile terminal, the additional connection being set up after said mobile terminal has sent a first command message to request identification of said mobile terminal from an application server to at least one domain name server disposed in said communications network, after said mobile terminal has been identified in at least one network address assignment server to which a communications network will establish said additional connection, after checking to determine whether a user address of said mobile terminal exists in at least one incoming call request management interface connected to said at least one network address assignment server to prevent assignment of a second address corresponding to the same mobile terminal, after verifying accessibility to said mobile telecommunications network in at least one home location register of said mobile terminal communications network, and after verifying authorization for receiving incoming calls provided by the user of said mobile terminal identified for accessing said communications network,

wherein said at least one incoming call management interface is configured to assign at least one network address to said mobile terminal after processing said user address based on data from a second command message received from an user address search interface, said system further comprising:

at least one access control interface connected to said at least one network address assignment server of said communications network and configured to verify said user address of said mobile terminal based on data from a third command message received from said at least one incoming call request management interface.

10. The access management system according to claim 9, further comprising:

at least one access authorization interface connected to said at least one home location register of said mobile telecommunications network and configured to verify said at least one network address after processing of said user address of said mobile terminal based on data from a fourth command message received from said at least one access control interface.

11. The access management system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one access authorization interface comprises means for sending to said at least one home location register, means for sending to said at least one access control interface, means for processing said user address, means for verifying said at least one network address, and means for formatting a command message.

12. The access management system according to claim 9, wherein said at least one access control interface comprises means for sending to said at least one network address assignment server, means for sending to said at least one access authorization interface, means for verifying said user address of said mobile terminal, means for formatting a command message and means for processing said user address.

13. A method of managing access from a plurality of communications networks to a mobile terminal connected to a mobile telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one identifier corresponding to a mobile terminal in at least one application server of one of said plural communications networks;

sending a first command message to request identification of said mobile terminal from said application server to at least one domain name server of said communications network;

sending said first command message from said domain name server to at least one user address search interface of said communications network to assign at least one user address to said mobile terminal;

sending a second command message for assigning a network address with said user address of said mobile terminal from said user address search interface to at least one incoming call request management interface of said communications network;

checking to determine whether the received user address in said call request management interface connected to at least one network address assignment server exists, said incoming call request management interface sending a message to indicate the existence of said address to said user address search interface when said user address exists;

sending a fourth command message to process said user address from said access control interface to at least one access authorization interface disposed in said mobile telecommunications network;

verifying said accessibility to said mobile telecommunications network and said authorization for receiving incoming calls provided by said user of said mobile terminal in at least one home location register of said mobile telecommunications network connected to said access authorization interface;

sending said accessibility and said authorization of said user of said mobile terminal from said access authorization interface disposed in said telecommunications network to said access control interface disposed in said communications network, for formatting said data;

sending said accessibility and said authorization of said user of said mobile terminal from said access control interface to said incoming call request management interface via said network address assignment server of said communications network for analysis; and

setting up a connection from said communications network to said mobile terminal to send at least one data item with said user address.

14. The access management method according to claim 13, wherein when said user address does not exist, said incoming call request management interface sends a third command message to said at least one access interface via said network address assignment server of said communications network.

15. The access management method according to claim 13 wherein, in one of an event of non-accessibility and an absence of rights for said user of said mobile terminal, said incoming call request management interface sends a first failure message to said user address search interface, after which said user address search interface forwards said first failure message to said domain name server and to said application server for processing, so as not to set up the connection between said communications network and said mobile terminal.

16. The access management method according to claim 13, wherein, in one of an event of accessibility and an existence of rights for said user of said mobile terminal, said incoming call request management interface sends a user address from said incoming call request management interface to said user address search interface.

17. The access management method according to claim 13, said method further comprising the steps of:

sending said user address from said user address search interface to said domain name server and subsequently to said application server; and

sending data with said user address from said application server to at least one access management equipment of said mobile telecommunications network.

18. The access management method according to claim 17 wherein, if said user address is not recognized, said access management equipment sends a fifth command message to said network address assignment server for verification, after which said network address assignment server sends said user address to said incoming call request management interface.

19. The access management method according to claim 17, said method further comprising the steps of:

sending a second failure message from said incoming call request management interface to said network address assignment server and subsequently to said access management equipment if said network address has not been assigned; and

processing said second failure message in said access management equipment such that a connection between said communications network and said mobile terminal is not set up.

20. The access management method according to claim 17 wherein, in an event of recognition of said user address, said access management equipment sends said data to at least one service support equipment and subsequently to said mobile terminal after the connection is set up between said communications network and said mobile terminal.